Whether you’re looking for a quiet spot for morning meditation or a place to call party central, decks offer an easy way to connect with the great outdoors and expand livable space, Nathania Sawyer writes in Saturday's HomeStyle section.

Decks can be elaborate, multilevel outdoor living spaces limited only by your imagination … and your budget.

When the economy slumped and the housing bubble burst, homeowners looked for ways to improve existing homes instead of moving. Decks evolved from simple squares or rectangles with a couple of chairs to intricate outdoor living rooms.

Read Saturday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for ideas on how to expand your home outdoors.